MIAMI — Thursday brought a major milestone for a citizen-led ballot initiative that, if approved by voters, would bring big changes to the Miami City Commission and the timing of municipal elections.
Organizers with Stronger Miami announced that they’ve collected more than 20,500 signatures, exceeding the legal threshold of 20,000 to put their initiative on this November’s ballot.
“Forty-seven months ago, a small group of citizens began pressing for structural reform in the city of Miami,” said Mel Meinhardt with Stronger Miami. “At that time, almost everybody believed that change was not possible.”
The petition calls for expanding the city commission from five to nine members, allowing residents to be better represented, while also shifting the dates of city elections from odd to even numbered years, to increase voter participation.
“We’re gathered here today because democracy is supposed to answer to the people, and because every community in Miami deserve fair representation, equal voice, and a city government that works for them,” said Daniel Tilley with the ACLU.
The group delivered those signatures to Miami City Hall on Thursday, where commissioners discussed a similar proposal from Mayor Eileen Higgins that would shift her next election from 2029 to August of 2028.
While Stronger Miami calls it a step in the right direction, their initiative calls for elections to be held in November, allowing them to coincide with presidential elections, when voter turnout is typically much higher.
“The problem is if we put the first round in the November big turnout election, right when there’s three candidates in the race, there’s going to be a runoff,” said Higgins.
The mayor’s measure was later tabled after many commissioners said they also prefer the November timeline, keeping commissioner and mayoral elections together.
“There’s nobody really here in August,” said Commissioner Damian Pardo.
“I also agree that it should be everybody at the same time,” added Commissioner Miguel Angel Gabela.
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